Be thankful for the hard things

HELLO from Huntsville!  This is the big city, and I am completely out of my element!  There are tons of people, and tons of ritzy houses.  It is awesome!  I love it here!  It is a super nice apartment!  My companion is Sister Jackson from Farmington, Utah.  We came to Alabama on the exact same day - so that is fun!  It is exciting to hear that the weather is nice there!  In Alabama it is tornado season... it is really raining and stormy... interesting equation on a bike. (; haha  We are all safe however, so no need to fear! 

Conference is the best weekend!  I loved it so much!  We were able to watch with one of our investigators who are in their 70's.  Her husband was just baptized in February.  They had both met with the missionaries years ago, but weren't progressing at all.  Then on the first sunday of the year he just showed up to church, and he was prepared!  She is now starting to open up, and she loved conference.  It was really amazing to watch the Saturday morning session with her.  Her favorite talk was President Eyring! I loved when he talked at the beginning about how some people were watching because the missionaries invited them!  He was talking directly to her!! And she recognized it.  We  are really just praying for her a lot now!  She just was diagnosed with Lung Cancer and she knows that the church is true, but she is struggling to decide to be baptized.  Please pray for her! He name is Pat. (ps. please don't include this on the blog... )

Recently I have been thinking a lot about how to strengthen ones testimony.  I have been studying it, and trying to learn how to strengthen mine so that I can help others strengthen theirs.  I was so grateful for Pres. Uchtdorf's talk yesterday about gratitude!  I love when he said that if you want a stronger testimony, be grateful.    Be grateful amid the trials.  Be grateful that our Heavenly Father has a plan.  He knows each of us, one by one.  He knows that we can handle it.  He loves us!  Be grateful that He sent His Son to earth for US.  If nothing else, be thankful for that knowledge.  I am going to try and everyday write down and Emmaus experience from that day. Luke 24:32.   I would love if y'all would do it with me. Every day right down an experience where you recognized the hand of the Lord.  

"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?"

I know that by being more grateful by writing down these experiences that mine and your faith will grow.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true.  That is something to be proud of!  And that is something to be grateful for.  Let your faith show.

I love y'all BIG time!

Sister Casperson